New UND CONNECT program awards civic-partnership grants

Program aims at boosting ‘service to the people and communities in the state,’ UND administrators say

The University of North Dakota is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the UND CONNECT program.

Nine faculty-led projects aimed at making life better for North Dakotans were selected for up to $5,000 in funding.

In line with UND’s vision to “engage in collaborations that serve the evolving needs of our people, tribal nations and the state of North Dakota,” the University established UND CONNECT for faculty and students to perform community-based research, development and outreach while partnering with local and regional organizations.

“Central to our mission at the University of North Dakota is service to the people and communities in the state,” said UND Provost Eric Link. “Through the UND CONNECT initiative, faculty and students will have an opportunity to make an even greater impact on the lives of North Dakota citizens in positive and meaningful ways.”

The projects recommended by UND’s Senate Scholarly Activities Committee and approved by the Office of the Provost were chosen for their inclusion of hands-on learning opportunities for students; measurable benefits to communities in the state; and collaborative approaches involving community partners.

“UND faculty defy the stereotype of professors who isolate themselves in the ‘ivory tower’ of campus classrooms or labs,” said Randi Tanglen, vice provost for Faculty Affairs. “The UND CONNECT initiative shows how our faculty are making a difference in North Dakota and giving back to the state.

“UND CONNECT proposals were required to include concrete student learning outcomes. By including students in these projects, our faculty are modeling civic engagement and the value of connecting scholarly expertise to community needs.”

The projects can begin after July 1 to be completed within the next year. Twenty-three proposals were submitted, and a second round of proposals will be announced later this summer.

Funding for UND CONNECT was provided by the North Dakota Economic Diversification Research Grant Fund.

The following projects were selected for funding:

Joonghwa Lee, associate professor of Communication

• For UND’s 2025 Digital Storytelling Summit – a weeklong program that brings high school students to UND to learn about journalism and multimedia storytelling – Lee will fund UND student interns to help facilitate activities.
• Amount funded: $4,787

Nariaki Sugiura, associate professor of Music
Ling Lo, teaching assistant professor of Music
Whitney Berry, teaching associate professor of Music

• The trio of music professors will create a series of online piano lessons and basic music theory classes for students at Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, N.D.
• Amount funded: $4,876

Soojung Kim, associate professor of Communication

• Kim plans to expand Grand Forks Public Library’s digital radon detector lending program to the Fargo Public Library and provide her students with an experiential learning opportunity in the process.
• Amount funded: $4,990

Harry Liu, assistant professor of Education, Health & Behavior
Tanis Walch, professor of Education, Health & Behavior

• Liu and Walch plan to host “Inclusive Moves,” an adaptive pickleball-based intervention program for enhancing motor skills, physical activity and social interactions among 8- to 12-year-old children with physical and developmental disabilities.
• Amount funded: $4,998

Ethan Dahl, associate professor of Education, Health & Behavior
Tiffany Russell, assistant professor of Psychology

• Partnering with the Grand Forks chapter of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, Dahl, Russell and their students will create evidence-based resource toolkits and trainings for business owners focused on creating inclusive and welcoming environments for sexual and gender minorities in North Dakota communities.
• Amount funded: $5,000

Amanda Haage, assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences

• Haage will create 3D-printed materials for visually impaired students in Anatomy and Physiology courses in collaboration with North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand Forks.
• Amount funded: $5,000

Joshua Hunter, associate professor of Education, Health & Behavior

• In partnership with the Blue Zones Project, the city of Grand Forks and its Town Square Farmers Market, Hunter seeks to develop educational programming specific to youth on local food production, awareness of healthy eating and local food pathways/resources.
• Amount funded: $5,000

Merie Kirby, teaching associate professor of Honors

• Kirby, along with students enrolled in Honors Program courses, seeks to research and create materials in collaboration with the High Plains Fair Housing Center that would be used for education at the community, state and national levels bringing visibility to Native American fair housing issues.
• Amount funded: $5,000

Adam Matz, associate professor of Criminal Justice

• Matz and his graduate students will conduct a study with the Community Violence Intervention Center to understand the outcomes of the Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court.
• Amount funded: $5,000